Gossip: Ten Pathways to Eliminate It from Your Life and Transform Your Soul

• ISBN13: 9780757300554
• Condition: New
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College jounalism students plant a trashy rumor about a celibate co-ed, planning to track how the story changes as it burns through the university. But what the students never imagine is that the savagely mutating tale will turn against them.

DVD Features:
Alternate endings
Audio Commentary:Commentary by D. Guggenheim, J. Mardsen
Deleted Scenes:Deleted Scenes - 11:07
Filmographies
Interactive Menus
Music Video
Other:Travis's gossip Interviews "Grab Bag"
Scene Access
Theatrical Trailer

Gossip is one of a spate of movies that owe a lot to Cruel Intentions. This time it's rich kids in ! college, but other than that Gossip stays well within the beautiful-young-people-doing-awful-things-to-each other formula. Lena Heady plays Jones, obviously the Smart Girl because she is briefly seen wearing glasses. Jones hangs out with Arty Guy Travis and Handsome Rich Guy Derrick, who finances their adventures and has a little bit of a lying habit. The three are all in the same journalism class (acidic monologist Eric Bogosian plays the acidic professor) and decide to start and track a rumor for their term papers. They pick rich and beautiful couple Beau and Naomi (Joshua Jackson and Kate Hudson) as the focus of the rumor, and before you know it their juicy story starts spinning out of control into ugly territory and a truly ludicrous climax. There are attempts at making sledgehammer points about the slippery task of finding Truth, but mostly Gossip is about the guilty pleasure of watching pretty young actors be mean to each other. You'll hate yourself in t! he morning, but watch it anyway. --Ali DavisMusic For M! en was p roduced by multi Grammy Award winner Rick Rubin and recorded at the historic Shangri La Studios in Malibu.

A dishy, incisive exploration of gossip â€" from celebrity rumors to literary romans à clef, personal sniping to political slander â€" by one our “great essayists” (David Brooks)

To his successful examinations of some of the most powerful forces in modern life â€" envy, ambition, snobbery, friendship â€" the keen observer and critic Joseph Epstein now adds Gossip. No trivial matter, despite its reputation, gossip, he argues, is an eternal and necessary human enterprise. Proving that he himself is a master of the art, Epstein serves up delightful mini-biographies of the Great Gossips of the Western World along with many choice bits from his own experience. He also makes a powerful case that gossip has morphed from its old-fashioned best â€" clever, mocking, a great private pleasure â€" to a corrosive new-school version, thanks to the reach of ! the mass media and the Internet. Gossip has invaded and changed for the worse politics and journalism, causing unsubstantiated information to be presented as fact. Contemporary gossip claims to reveal truth, but as Epstein shows, it’s our belief in truth that gossip today threatens to undermine and destroy.

Written in his trademark erudite and witty style, Gossip captures the complexity of this immensely entertaining subject.
Here’s the dish, GG fans: the 22 episodes of Season Four couldn’t be juicier! And Gossip Girl is there to keep you clued in to the buzz, secrets and scandals of Manhattan’s elite. Between Blair and Serena’s thrilling summer in Paris, Chuck’s new girlfriend and new identity, unexpected fatherhood for Dan, a power play for Bass Industries, Blair’s too-haute-to-handle internship at W Magazine and a vicious conspiracy that threatens to bring down one of your favorite Upper East Siders, Season Four sizzles with some very surpr! ising hookups and meltdowns. With lies and betrayals at every ! turn, Se rena, Blair, Nate, Chuck, and Dan struggle to “keep their friends close and their frenemies closer.” The fourth season of Gossip Girl starts to show a little age; while the fashions are as couture as ever and the scandals the right level of sleaze, the season takes some inexplicable turns. But no season is complete without its parade of troublemakers, so up first is Georgina (Michelle Trachtenberg), whose pregnancy announcement at the end of season three throws serious water on Dan's romantic possibilities with Serena (Blake Lively). Then there's Juliet (Katie Cassidy, daughter of '70s teen idol David), an impostor whose elaborate scheme to take down Serena is connected to her past and involves some serious loony-bin activity (Cassidy, who was the best thing on the short-lived Melrose Place reboot, makes a terrific foil--much less irksome than Georgina, who has by now overstayed her welcome). Finally, there's Russell Thorpe (Spin City's Michael Boatm! an), a ruthless businessman who angles to take over Bass Industries from Chuck (Ed Westwick). But none of these villains hold a candle to the internal evildoing within the Upper East Siders; Dan (Penn Badgley) plots against Chuck, Vanessa (Jessica Szohr) and Jenny (Taylor Momsen) plot against Serena, then turn against each other, mapping both of their exits off the series; Serena and Chuck plot against her mother, Lily (Kelly Rutherford), and finally Lily's sister Carol plots against her by employing her daughter Charlie (Kaylee DeFer). Incomprehensible love matches ensue (the show's creators seem intent on having Serena circle romantic possibilities with… pretty much everyone), but the friendship that naturally evolves between Dan and Blair becomes the season's most pleasant surprise. That Blair becomes the center of a complex romantic web between Chuck and an honest-to-goodness prince (Hugo Becker) steers the season back in the right direction; Meester and Westwick rema! in the emotional centers of the show and anchor it when it vee! rs too f ar into Crazytown. --Ellen A. Kim

Evil speech can destroy friendships, break up marriages and ruin businesses. Gossip-negative talk, put-downs, rumors, accusations-not only hurts the person being talked about, it also hurts the person speaking and the person listening. In short, gossip has a negative impact on everyone. Yet, despite these negative consequences, gossip has been around since the beginning of humankind and continues to be a popular but destructive pastime.

Throughout this timely and enjoyable book, readers will learn what the Bible and Jewish wisdom have to say regarding speech and how their teachings relate to our world today. Readers will also learn via real-life examples how to break the gossip habit and how to teach others to do the same. Gossip will help people develop skills to improve their lives by getting along better with others; mending old hurts and reclaiming lost relationship; keeping good relationships from going b! ad through hurtful words; and strengthening relationships they already have by speaking in a more encouraging and productive manner.

The purpose of this book is to extinguish the fire of evil speech and help us live in a gossip-free environment. The result? Positive interactions with the people around us, the healing of relationships and a more complete self.

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Famous Stars and Straps Men's Family Forever Zip Hoody, Heather/White/Black, X-Large

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Suspense Collection (Seven/Heat/Insomnia/The Devil's Advocate)

• 4 FILM FAVORITES: SUSPENSE COLLECTION (DVD MOVIE)

DEVIL'S ADVOCATE - DVD MovieToo old for Hamlet and too young for Lear--what's an ambitious actor to do? Play the Devil, of course. Jack Nicholson did it in The Witches of Eastwick; Robert De Niro did it in Angel Heart (as Louis Cyphre--get it?). In The Devil's Advocate Al Pacino takes his turn as the great Satan, and clearly relishes his chance to raise hell. He's a New York lawyer, of course, by the name of John Milton, who recruits a hotshot young Florida attorney (Keanu Reeves) to his firm and seduces him with tempting offers of power, sex, and money. Think of the story as a twist on John Grisham's The Firm, with the corporate evil made even more explicit. Reeves is wooden, and therefore doesn't seem to have much of a soul to lose, but he's really just our excuse to meet the devil. Pacino's the main attraction, g! leefully showing off his--and the Antichrist's--chops at perpetrating menace and mayhem. The film was directed by Taylor Hackford (Against All Odds, Dolores Claiborne). --Jim EmersonHotshot attorney accepts tempting offer from an elite New York law firm only to find himself fighting for his soul.
Genre: Suspense
Rating: R
Release Date: 7-SEP-2004
Media Type: DVDToo old for Hamlet and too young for Lear--what's an ambitious actor to do? Play the Devil, of course. Jack Nicholson did it in The Witches of Eastwick; Robert De Niro did it in Angel Heart (as Louis Cyphre--get it?). In The Devil's Advocate Al Pacino takes his turn as the great Satan, and clearly relishes his chance to raise hell. He's a New York lawyer, of course, by the name of John Milton, who recruits a hotshot young Florida attorney (Keanu Reeves) to his firm and seduces him with tempting offers of power, sex, and money. Think of ! the story as a twist on John Grisham's The Firm, with t! he corpo rate evil made even more explicit. Reeves is wooden, and therefore doesn't seem to have much of a soul to lose, but he's really just our excuse to meet the devil. Pacino's the main attraction, gleefully showing off his--and the Antichrist's--chops at perpetrating menace and mayhem. The film was directed by Taylor Hackford (Against All Odds, Dolores Claiborne). --Jim EmersonHeat, Seven, The Devil's Advocate, Insomnia HEAT INCLUDES: • Widescreen Format [16x9 2.4:1] • Theatrical Trailers • Languages & Subtitles: English & Français (Main Feature. Bonus Material/Trailer May Not Be Subtitled). SE7EN INCLUDES: • Widescreen Format [16x9 2.4:1] • Cast Biographies/Filmographies • Subtitles: English, Français & Español. THE DEVIL’S ADVOCATE INCLUDES: • Widescreen Format [16x9 2.4:1] • Commentary by Director Taylor Hackford • Over 30 Minutes of Deleted Scenes • Production Notes • Theatrical Trailers & TV Spots • Languages: English & Fran! çais • Subtitles: English, Français & Español (Main Feature. Bonus Material/Trailer May Not Be Subtitled). INSOMNIA INCLUDES: • Widescreen Format [16x9 2.4:1] • Additional Scene • 2 Commentaries: • Director Christopher Nolan (Commentary in Order of Shooting Sequence) • Hilary Swank, Production Designer Nathan Crowley, Editor Dody Dorn, Cinematographer Wally Pfister and Screenwriter Hillary Seitz • 4 Featurettes: • Day for Night: Making the Movie • 180°: A Conversation with Christopher Nolan and Al Pacino • In the Fog: Cinemtography and Production Design • Eyes Wide Open: The Insomniac’s World • Stills Gallery • Theatrical Trailer • Languages: English & Français (Dubbed in Quebec) • Subtitles: English, Français & Español (Main Feature. Bonus Material/Trailer May Not Be Subtitled).

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Casino Jack and the United States of Money

• This portrait of Washington super-lobbyist Jack Abramoff, from his early years as a gung-ho member of the GOP political machine to his final reckoning as a disgraced, imprisoned pariah, confirms the adage that truth is indeed stranger than fiction.  A tale of international intrigue involving casinos, spies, sweatshops and mob-style killings, this is a story of the way money corrupts our polit

This portrait of Washington super-lobbyist Jack Abramoff, from his early years as a gung-ho member of the GOP political machine to his final reckoning as a disgraced, imprisoned pariah, confirms the adage that truth is indeed stranger than fiction. A tale of international intrigue involving casinos, spies, sweatshops and mob-style killings, this is a story of the way money corrupts our political process. Oscar®-winning filmmaker Alex Gibney illuminates the way politicians' desperate need to get
elec! ted and the millions of dollars it costs may be undermining the basic principles of American democracy. Infuriating, yet undeniably eye-opening and entertaining, CASINO JACK is a saga of greed and corruption with a cynical villain audiences will love to hate.As he proved in Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room, Oscar-winning director Alex Gibney knows how to transform creative bookkeeping into compelling drama without dumbing things down. In his follow-up to Gonzo, a portrait of rabble-rouser Hunter S. Thompson, Gibney takes on disgraced GOP lobbyist Jack Abramoff (Stanley Tucci provides his voice in readings). Gibney begins with the Mob-style murder of a one-time associate before backtracking to Abramoff's days as chairman of the College Republicans, where he rubbed shoulders with Karl Rove and Ralph Reed--and impressed Ronald Reagan. Even as a student, however, there were signs of trouble as he laundered money through charities, a pattern he would repeat thr! oughout the decades, always on the lookout for new loopholes. ! Gibney p roceeds through his dealings with the Contras, an Angolan dictator, Saipan sweatshops, and Indian casinos (the debacle in Angola led him to produce the right-wing shoot-'em-up Red Scorpion). Along the way, Abramoff ensnared lawmakers and government officials in his web as they traded political favors for campaign financing. As Bob Ney's chief of staff, Neil Volz, puts it, Abramoff "could talk a dog off a meat truck." When his house of cards finally came crashing down, Reed, Ney, Volz, Tom DeLay, and numerous others fell with him (all but Reed appear in the film). As in his other documentaries, Gibney juices the action with music cues that keep things lively, even if some of his choices are a little too on the nose, like Howlin' Wolf's "Back Door Man." --Kathleen C. Fennessy

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Amy's Orgasm 27x40 FRAMED Movie Poster - Style A - 2001

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AMY'S O - DVD MovieWriter-director-actress Julie Davis is a mix of Bonnie Hunt and Jennifer Aniston. In her 2002 comedy Amy's O (also called Amy's Orgasm), Davis plays Amy Mandell, the bestselling self-help author of Why Love Doesn't Work, which is full of her theories on the fundamentally unstable nature of relationships--only she herself hasn't been in one in years. But when she's interviewed by an arrogant radio shock jock named Matthew Starr (Nick Chinlund), sparks fly, and Amy suddenly has to examine her theories in the real world. The title of Amy's O suggests a sex-centered story; in fact, what separates this movie from most romantic comedies is that it explores not only fall! ing in love, but the hurdles of sustaining a relationship after the romance has peaked. The movie skirts sitcom territory, but has enough heart to give it merit. --Bret FetzerGiving great orgasms, receiving really great orgasms, and everything in between: You will find all the pleasure tips you need in this guide. Clinical sexologist Amy Cooper shows you how to:

• Achieve multiple orgasms
• Self-pleasure with more satisfaction
• Harmonize with your lover
• Find erogenous zones
• Sustain longer-lasting orgasms
• Talk dirty, give lap dances, and perform stripteases
• Use sex toys, props, aphrodisiacs, and erotica

With something for everyone, this book is the definitive guide to extreme pleasure between the sheets. This book will have you experiencing the ?Big O? as you never have before.Giving great orgasms, receiving really great orgasms, and everything in between: You will find all the pleasure tips you need in this guide. Clinical sexologist A! my Cooper shows you how to: achieve multiple orgasms; self-ple! asure wi th more satisfaction; harmonize with your lover; find erogenous zones; sustain longer-lasting orgasms; talk dirty, give lap dances, and perform stripteases; use sex toys, props, aphrodisiacs, and erotica. With something for everyone, this book is the definitive guide to extreme pleasure between the sheets. This book will have you experiencing the “Big O” as you never have before.Giving great orgasms, receiving really great orgasms, and everything in between: You will find all the pleasure tips you need in this guide. Clinical sexologist Amy Cooper shows you how to: achieve multiple orgasms; self-pleasure with more satisfaction; harmonize with your lover; find erogenous zones; sustain longer-lasting orgasms; talk dirty, give lap dances, and perform stripteases; use sex toys, props, aphrodisiacs, and erotica. With something for everyone, this book is the definitive guide to extreme pleasure between the sheets. This book will have you experiencing the “Big O” as you nev! er have before.Writer-director-actress Julie Davis is a mix of Bonnie Hunt and Jennifer Aniston. In her 2002 comedy Amy's O (also called Amy's Orgasm), Davis plays Amy Mandell, the bestselling self-help author of Why Love Doesn't Work, which is full of her theories on the fundamentally unstable nature of relationships--only she herself hasn't been in one in years. But when she's interviewed by an arrogant radio shock jock named Matthew Starr (Nick Chinlund), sparks fly, and Amy suddenly has to examine her theories in the real world. The title of Amy's O suggests a sex-centered story; in fact, what separates this movie from most romantic comedies is that it explores not only falling in love, but the hurdles of sustaining a relationship after the romance has peaked. The movie skirts sitcom territory, but has enough heart to give it merit. --Bret Fetzer

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Almost Famous [Blu-ray]

• cameron crowe almost famous kate hudson

Audiences and critics alike are raving about this larger-than-life rock'n 'roll favorite that Roger Ebert calls "one of the best movies of the year!" The guys of Stillwater have the sound, they have the look and Rolling Stone Magazine wants their story. For young reporter William Miller, it's the opportunity of a lifetime as he hits the road with his favorite band and discovers the price of fame, the value of family and the limits of friendship.Almost Famous is the movie Cameron Crowe has been waiting a lifetime to tell. The fictionalization of Crowe's days as a teenage reporter for Creem and Rolling Stone has all the well-written characters and wonderful "movie moments" that we expect from Crowe (Jerry Maguire), but the film has an intangible something extra--an insider's touch that will turn the film into the ode to ! '70s rock & roll for years to come. We are introduced to Crowe's alter ego, William Miller (Patrick Fugit), at home, where his progressive mom (Frances McDormand, just superb) has outlawed rock music and sister Anita (Zooey Deschanel) has slipped him LPs that will "set his mind free." Following the wisdom of Creem's disheveled editor, Lester Bangs (Philip Seymour Hoffman in an instant-classic performance), Miller gets on the inside with the up-and-coming band Stillwater (a fictionalized mixture of the Allman Brothers, Led Zeppelin, and others). A simple visit with the band turns into a three-week, life-altering odyssey into the heyday of American rock. Of the characters he meets on the road, the two most important are groupie extraordinaire Penny Lane (Kate Hudson in a star-making performance) and Stillwater's enigmatic lead guitarist (Billy Crudup), who keeps stringing Miller along for an interview. From the handwritten credits (done by Crowe) to the bittersweet fin! ale, Crowe's comedic valentine is an indelible, heartbreaking ! romance of music, women, and the privilege of youth. --Doug ThomasCameron Crowe's award-winning semi-autobiographical look at the world of 1970s rock music will be presented in its longer "bootleg cut," with a 162-minute run time. Special features include: * Audio commentary with Cameron Crowe and Alice Crowe * Audio introduction by Crowe * Featurette: The Making of Almost Famous * Interview with the real Lester Bangs * Cameron Crowe's Top Albums of 1973 * Music video: "Fever Dog" * Stillwater's Cleveland Concert * "Small Time Blues" * Stairway * "B-Sides" behind-the-scenes footage * Seven Rolling Stone articles with audio introduction by Crowe: o The Allman Brothers from Dec. 6, 1973 o Led Zeppelin from March 13, 1975 o Neil Young from Aug. 14, 1975 o Peter Frampton from Feb. 10, 1977 o Fleetwood Mac from March 24, 1977 o Van Morrison from May 19, 1977 o Joni Mitchell from July 26, 1979Almost Famous is the movie Cameron Crowe has been waiting a lifetime to tell. The fictionalization of Crowe's days as a teenage reporter for Creem and Rolling Stone has all the well-written characters and wonderful "movie moments" that we expect from Crowe (Jerry Maguire), but the film has an intangible something extra--an insider's touch that will turn the film into the ode to '70s rock & roll for years to come. We are introduced to Crowe's alter ego, William Miller (Patrick Fugit), at home, where his progressive mom (Frances McDormand, just superb) has outlawed rock music and sister Anita (Zooey Deschanel) has slipped him LPs that will "set his mind free." Following the wisdom of Creem's disheveled editor, Lester Bangs (Philip Seymour Hoffman in an instant-classic performance), Miller gets on the inside with the up-and-coming band Stillwater (a fictionalized mixture of the Allman Brothers! , Led Zeppelin, and others). A simple visit with the band turns into a three-week, life-altering odyssey into the heyday of American rock. Of the characters he meets on the road, the two most important are groupie extraordinaire Penny Lane (Kate Hudson in a star-making performance) and Stillwater's enigmatic lead guitarist (Billy Crudup), who keeps stringing Miller along for an interview. From the handwritten credits (done by Crowe) to the bittersweet finale, Crowe's comedic valentine is an indelible, heartbreaking romance of music, women, and the privilege of youth. --Doug Thomas

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Love and Basketball (New Line Platinum Series)

• From the playground to the pro leagues, Monica and Quincy taught each other how to play the game. Now, their commitment to the sport will force them to make a choice between each other and the game.between family and team.between Love and BasketballRunning Time: 127 min. System Requirements: Starring: Omar Epps, Debbi Morgan, Sanaa Lathan, Harry J. Lennix, and Alfre Woodard. Directed by Gi

Her sisters think she's a gift from heaven. Their husbands call her the sister-in-law from hell. But Eva (Gabrielle Union) is too busy being a smart, sassy, overprotective overachiever to really care what anyone thinks. That is until the guys decide the only way they will ever score any quality time with their women is to find single Eva a man. Pronto.

Enter Ray (LL Cool J) an ultra-suave player's player, who is hired to make Eva fall madly in love with him. All goes according to plan until this ! ladies' man finds himself unexpectedly falling for this beautiful lady in this hip, fresh and funny comic romp.At a time when theaters were clogged with insipid romantic comedies for a predominantly white audience, Deliver Us from Eva offered a smart and sassy alternative. It's another variation of Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew, beginning when Ray (James Todd Smith, a.k.a. LL Cool J) accepts a $5,000 challenge to seduce Eva (Gabrielle Union), an alleged man-hater who dominates her three sisters and the men in their lives, who are desperate to be "delivered from Eva." It's a sitcom plot from start to finish, with no real surprises. What lifts Eva from its potential doldrums is the sensible negotiations that emerge between the would-be lovers, and a sharp screenplay that allows Ray and Eva to arrive at a mutual understanding that's richer and more mature than most comedies would bother to allow. By giving its characters an opportunity to sh! ow their truly attractive colors, Eva is delivered to ! us, claw s retracted, and ready for love. --Jeff ShannonDeliver Us From Eva Her sisters think she’s a gift from heaven. Their husbands call her the sister-in-law from hell. But Eva (Gabrielle Union) is too busy being a smart, sassy, overprotective overachiever to really care what anyone thinks. That is, until the guys decide the only way they will ever score quality time with their women is to hire ultra-suave Ray (LL Cool J) to make Eva fall madly in love with him. All goes according to plan until this ladies’ man finds himself unexpectedly falling for this beautiful lady in this hip, fresh and funny comic romp.

Something New Kenya McQueen (Sanaa Lathan) thought she had it all: a successful career, good friends and family. There was just one thing she didn’t have under control: her love life. All that changes when she meets sexy, free-spirited Brian Kelly (Simon Baker). But when her ideal man (Blair Underwood) arrives on the scene, Kenya must decide between the rela! tionship everyone expects and the romance no one expected.

The Best Man Harper Steward (Taye Diggs) is a commitment-shy writer and the best man at the wedding of Lance (Morris Chestnut) and Mia (Monica Calhoun). Unfortunately for Harper, the timing couldn’t be worse. His new book is coming out, and it chronicles his college life with his friends in a less than perfect light. The wedding party reunites college buddies Quentin (Terrence Howard), Mirch (Harold Perrineau) and love interest Jordan (Nia Long). As the celebration weekend nears, scandalous secrets begin to reveal themselves…for better or for worse.Her sisters think she's a gift from heaven. Their husbands call her the sister-in-law from hell. But Eva (Gabrielle Union) is too busy being a smart, sassy, overprotective overachiever to really care what anyone thinks. That is until the guys decide the only way they will ever score any quality time with their women is to find single Eva a man. Pronto. Enter Ray (LL Cool J) an ultra-suave player's player, who is ! hired to make Eva fall madly in love with him. All goes according to plan until this ladies' man finds himself unexpectedly falling for this beautiful lady in this hip, fresh and funny comic romp.At a time when theaters were clogged with insipid romantic comedies for a predominantly white audience, Deliver Us from Eva offered a smart and sassy alternative. It's another variation of Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew, beginning when Ray (James Todd Smith, a.k.a. LL Cool J) accepts a $5,000 challenge to seduce Eva (Gabrielle Union), an alleged man-hater who dominates her three sisters and the men in their lives, who are desperate to be "delivered from Eva." It's a sitcom plot from start to finish, with no real surprises. What lifts Eva from its potential doldrums is the sensible negotiations that emerge between the would-be lovers, and a sharp screenplay that allows Ray and Eva to arrive at a mutual understanding that's richer and more mature than most c! omedies would bother to allow. By giving its characters an opportunity to show their truly attractive colors, Eva is delivered to us, claws retracted, and ready for love. --Jeff ShannonAt a time when theaters were clogged with insipid romantic comedies for a predominantly white audience, Deliver Us from Eva offered a smart and sassy alternative. It's another variation of Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew, beginning when Ray (James Todd Smith, a.k.a. LL Cool J) accepts a $5,000 challenge to seduce Eva (Gabrielle Union), an alleged man-hater who dominates her three sisters and the men in their lives, who are desperate to be "delivered from Eva." It's a sitcom plot from start to finish, with no real surprises. What lifts Eva from its potential doldrums is the sensible negotiations that emerge between the would-be lovers, and a sharp screenplay that allows Ray and Eva to arrive at a mutual understanding that's richer and more matur! e than most comedies would bother to allow. By giving its char! acters an opportunity to show their truly attractive colors, Eva is delivered to us, claws retracted, and ready for love. --Jeff ShannonAt a time when theaters were clogged with insipid romantic comedies for a predominantly white audience, Deliver Us from Eva offered a smart and sassy alternative. It's another variation of Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew, beginning when Ray (James Todd Smith, a.k.a. LL Cool J) accepts a $5,000 challenge to seduce Eva (Gabrielle Union), an alleged man-hater who dominates her three sisters and the men in their lives, who are desperate to be "delivered from Eva." It's a sitcom plot from start to finish, with no real surprises. What lifts Eva from its potential doldrums is the sensible negotiations that emerge between the would-be lovers, and a sharp screenplay that allows Ray and Eva to arrive at a mutual understanding that's richer and more mature than most comedies would bother to allow. By giving its ! characters an opportunity to show their truly attractive colors, Eva is delivered to us, claws retracted, and ready for love. --Jeff ShannonFrom the playground to the pro leagues, Monica and Quincy taught each other how to play the game. Now, their commitment to the sport will force them to make a choice between each other and the game...between family and team...between Love and Basketball.Gina Prince-Bythewood, a former college athlete, puts a spin on this one-on-one tale of Love and Basketball. Sanaa Lathan (The Best Man) is the fiercely driven, hot-tempered Monica, a tomboy who gives her all for basketball. Omar Epps (The Mod Squad) is Quincy, an NBA player's son who has pro dreams of his own. Next-door neighbors since first grade, they start as rivals (she flabbergasts the boy by outplaying him in a game of driveway pickup) and age into best friends and lovers. The romantic complications follow a familiar game plan, but the film ! throws a fascinating spotlight onto the contrast between men's! and wom en's basketball. While Quincy plays college ball on huge courts to cheering, sold-out crowds, we see Monica's sweat, tears, and sheer physical dedication in front of tiny audiences in small gyms and second-rate auditoriums.

The story is pointedly set in the late 1980s, years before the establishment of the WNBA, so Monica's prospects for pro ball lie exclusively in Europe, while Quincy steps into the pros at home. It's a pleasure to see a character as passionate and fully developed as Monica, and Lathan gives a fiery portrayal (she had never played ball before the film, but you'd never tell from her performance). Prince-Bythewood favors her struggle over Quincy's and opens our eyes to her unique challenges with a sharp, savvy contrast. Alfre Woodard costars as Monica's harping mom (always trying to get her to be more ladylike) and Dennis Haysbert is Quincy's philandering father. Hoops fan Spike Lee produced. --Sean Axmaker

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